2005 Pontiac G6 Review

Tuesday, April 1st, 2008 at 8:03 am

2005 Pontiac G6

Three years ago, I opted for a 2005 Pontiac G6, after test-driving a 2005 Honda Accord. I chose this car for it's V6 performance and features not found in the 4-Cyl Accord at the cost of the 2005 Pontiac G6. Also, the looks were far more appealing to me than the Accord and many of the other cars in this class. I thought I'd share my impressions of the car after driving one for the past 3 years. I leased the Base V6 2005 Pontiac G6 after test driving a 4 Cylinder Accord EX. The V6 gives you smoother, better acceleration than an Accord 4-Cyl, and also equal, if not better equipment for the same price. In fact, with GM incentives, my lease payment was significantly lower than it would have been on the Accord. I bought this car in 2005, when it was first introduced. The car has been reliable, but not without minor glitches.The dashboard creeks and cracks, and despite GM’s recommended fix, has never been resolved. In fact, if not for the Pontiac G6 Forum, I would not have even known about this fix. I'm sure this problem has been resolved with the 2006 Pontiac G6, 2007 Pontiac G6 and 2008 models, as well as the Pontiac G6 Coupe. Aside from this, the car would be relatively quiet, if not for annoying wind noise in the driver’s side window. That too, was never resolved, despite two trips to the dealer. The rear visibility leaves something to be desired, and the wide front pillars are a hazard when pulling out on a busy street. The 2005 Pontiac G6 has nice amenities for a car at this price, especially the trip computer and remote ignition, but my jaw fell out when I took it home and learned it did not come with ABS! I thoroughly scoured the very extensive Pontiac G6 owners manual just to be sure. With so many features; trip computer, remote ignition... but no ABS? Be warned, this was not a standard safety feature in the 2005 Pontiac G6. I believe this has been changed with the 2006 Pontiac G6.

What attracted me to the car was the smooth acceleration of the V6 engine and the sporty look and feel, compared to the somewhat drab-looking 2005 Accord. The handling, I feel, is underrated for a car in the $20K price range. It grabs the road and tracks quite well, while giving you a very comfortable ride. I recommend this car only in the Base model. The extra money for the Pontiac GT brings it up in the price range of other, more refined V6 cars like the Accord, Maxima or Camry. The Highway Gas mileage is among the best I’ve ever had in a V6. Depending on the levelness of the road, I’ve gotten anywhere between 30 and 34 MPG on the highway! Not nearly as impressive in the city (around 18 or 19MPG), and combined around 23-25. Interesting, how there is such a difference between City and HWY mileage. After 3.5 years, there has not been a mechanical problem, other than needing new front and rear brakes. A good, but not great car. I put 85 Octane gas in it because I've noticed literally no improvements or benefits in paying more for 87 or 91. In fact, the fuel economy seems to do better with 85.The G6 is a nice car to drive, and next to the Honda Accord, it just has a sportier look and feel. Unfortunately, my experience left me with the impression that it's not quite as refined, and up to the quality standards of a Honda. Otherwise, I would really consider the great-looking Pontiac G6 Coupe.

Final Ratings (1 - 100)

Performance: 85
Value: 85
Economy: 72
Comfort: 80
Handling: 84
Cargo Room: 65
Overall: 78.5

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